[val.ue] n [ME, fr. MF, fr. (assumed) VL valuta, fr. fem. of valutus, pp. of L valere to be worth, be strong--more at wield] (14c) 1: a fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged
2: the monetary worth of something: marketable price
3: relative worth, utility, or importance "a good ~ at the price" "the ~ of base stealing in baseball" "had nothing of ~ to say"
4. a: a numerical quantity that is assigned or is determined by calculation or measurement "let x take on positive ~s" "a ~ for the age of the earth" b: precise signification "~ of a word"
5: the relative duration of a musical note
6. a: relative lightness or darkness of a color: luminosity b: the relation of one part in a picture to another with respect to lightness and darkness 7: something (as a principle or quality) intrinsically valuable or desirable "sought material ~s instead of human ~s --W. H. Jones" 8: denomination
2. -- val.ue.less adj -- val.ue.less.ness n
[2]value vt val.ued ; val.u.ing (15c) 1 a: to estimate or assign the monetary worth of: appraise "~ a necklace" b: to rate or scale in usefulness, importance, or general worth: evaluate
2: to consider or rate highly: prize, esteem "~s your opinion" syn see estimate, appreciate -- val.u.er n